Helicopters, one piloted by Harrison Ford, fly into Anaheim for big expo

Feb. 21, 2014

Updated Feb. 24, 2014 11:28 a.m.

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Actor Harrison Ford exits his Bell 405 Helicopter and is greeted in the back parking lot of the Anaheim Convention Center on Friday morning. Ford was the first to fly into the parking lot in preparation for the Heli-Expo starting on February 24th. ISAAC ARJONILLA, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

An incoming helicopter gets guided onto the parking lot while creating a strong gust of wind; about 20 helicopters are expected to fly into the Anaheim Convention center on Friday in preparation for a helicopter convention which starts on February 24th. ISAAC ARJONILLA, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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Actor Harrison Ford, in his Bell 405 Helicopter, gets ready to land in the back parking lot of the Anaheim Convention Center on Friday morning; Ford was the first to fly into the parking lot in preparation for the Heli-Expo starting on February 24th. ISAAC ARJONILLA, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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Once landed, helicopters were placed and secured on ground handling wheels and pulled by a tug. ISAAC ARJONILLA, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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An incoming Calstar helicopter slowly descends over Anaheim Convention Center's parking lot while people brace themselves and record the landing late on Friday morning. ISAAC ARJONILLA, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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An MD 902 Helicopter from Air Rescue Systems lands on the parking lot behind of the Anaheim Convention center on Friday morning. ISAAC ARJONILLA, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Actor Harrison Ford exits his Bell 405 Helicopter and is greeted in the back parking lot of the Anaheim Convention Center on Friday morning. Ford was the first to fly into the parking lot in preparation for the Heli-Expo starting on February 24th. ISAAC ARJONILLA, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Heli-Expo 2014 at a glance

What: World's largest helicopter expo and trade show, put on by the Helicopter Association International

When: Tuesday through Thursday at the Anaheim Convention Center, 800 W. Katella Ave. Demonstrations will take place on Angel Stadium's lot.

ANAHEIM – He wasn’t at the controls of the Millennium Falcon of “Star Wars” fame, but on Friday actor Harrison Ford did fly into Anaheim.

Ford piloted the first helicopter to the Anaheim Convention Center in preparation of the Heli-Expo 2014, the world’s largest helicopter show set to draw 20,000 people.

On Friday and into Saturday, about 45 helicopters are landing in the back lot of the center that has been converted into a temporary heliport. The first 20 or so came in Friday and were hauled into the center’s expo halls. The rest are to arrive roughly between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. today.

Ford, who played Hans Solo in “Star Wars,” owns a helicopter that will be on exhibit during the Tuesday-through-Thursday expo.

Shortly after 10:20 a.m., Ford got out of his dark-green Bell 407, shook hands with a few people and, within minutes, drove off in a white Porsche.

“He wanted to come to the show,” said Chris Dancy, a Heli-Expo spokesman. “He loves to fly.”

The Heli-Expo, meant for those in the industry, last came to Anaheim in 2009.

The helicopter parade began earlier this week. The copters gathered at Fullerton Airport, where one of two taxiways was reserved as a staging area.

From Fullerton, the choppers follow a fixed route, roughly along the I-5 freeway, above Katella Avenue and into the Convention Center lot.

Because the area falls within restricted airspace, within three miles of the Disneyland Resort, the aircraft are given special permission so long as they stay in contact with air-traffic control.

Friday, the helicopters landed every 20 minutes or so, giving a blast of air to onlookers, blowing pink petals off of a nearby tree. Once on the ground, the copters were tugged up a ramp and into the center.

A handful of people looked on. Craig Trent, who lives nearby, perched himself on the top of a Convention Center parking structure. He didn’t mind the noise.

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